Daniel Cano/Professor Hayes/English 100 1:10 PM/January 27, 2013

Introductory Statement

 
  In this essay titled “What I Know”, I was assigned to inform my uninformed audience with my 
knowledge in a subject I was most familiar with. I took my first steps in this essay with
guidance provided from our class professor Mr. Hayes , who gave us multiple sample essays to annotate then evaluate by writing. The objective was to discuss points of ease from the essays, and what difficulties in those essays in need of adjustment and improving. After doing so, I thought how I
could be able to efficiently inform my audience about my topic while still being able to connect
with them an maintain their attention, simply because I learned much from the areas of
difficulty from the sample essays. This essay emphasized on “I Say”, my ability to project my
belief, opinion, or knowledge while still being able to back it up with reason or example from
evidence.  In this case, all I had to do was tell my audience what I knew so much about gaming. I was pretty excited to get started on the essay, and am even more excited working with it
yet again to place on my portfolio. (196 words)

___________________________________________________________________________________

Daniel Cano
Professor Hayes
March 24th, 2013 (1282 words)
English 100

 

The Purpose of Gaming

 

What is this nonsense, and what makes it so cool?

 Many uninformed, misunderstanding non- gamers don’t really see how video games captivates and entertains the young gamers of today’s society. The narrow-minded people usually despise gaming, simply because it is something they just don’t understand, and they usually blame video games for today’s problems, such as decrease in academic achivements, or the influence of aggresion or violence in younger children. It may cause distraction towards a few  individuals because the games do  so well in their job of entertainment, and as far as I know that's the only flaw in gaming. The qualities about video games and what makes them so recreational and fun to play are the diverse and creative characteristics in them. Each genre can suit a person’s taste in fun and action, and will entertain both casual gamers and hardcore players in a variety of ways, and can be a great hobby to add along with the rest of an individual’s favorite things to do. So, non-gamers, new-comers, and haters, all of you are welcome to follow along today’s lesson as I will attempt to categorize, explain, and define the popular genres of gaming, as a casual gamer myself.

Farcry 3

Gears of War 3

FIRST & THIRD PERSON SHOOTERS: With Today’s generation of gaming now surrounded by the popular genre of First Person Shooters, (FPS) and Third Person Shooters, (TPS) this may cause other great shooter games to be overlooked. (cough, Farcry 3)This genre’s name is quite self-explanatory, with players literally having a blast virtually shooting each other online. Take for example, the multi-million dollar making FPS title “Call of Duty Black Ops II”, favored mostly by the mature, young-adult mainstream players. Players can go online and search for game servers and when a game is available, can wait in a gaming lobby along with other players, and vote for a “map” or setting to play on. “Maps” are scenery which resemble warzones. When playing a team death match mode online, the goal is to score 5 point “kills” and reach a score limit, with the aid of jets dropping bombs on the opposing team, and helicopters hovering from above gunning down opponents as well, but are earned with kill streaks. (scoring kills without getting yourself killed.) This genre can also be seen held at local gaming competitions, such as MLG (Major League Gaming) where actually formed teams have the chance to compete against each other organized teams in tournaments; where the victorious team may win anything from prizes to money. Third person shooters have the same agenda as FPS, with the exception of an over-the-shoulder playing perspective with franchises such as Gears of War, a game which soley focuses on the use of whatever cover you see, and avoiding the no-man's land, the area(s) outside of cover between your team, and the opposing team. The way to play this game is to take cover,fire, or die.



Need for Speed- Shift 2: Unleashed

RACERS: Although a diverse, mature set of gamers can enjoy FPS games, this genre is usually aimed at the general players, such as family. Racing games will have gamers speeding with cars they would find enjoyable to drive in reality, on simulated tracks. Simulation racing is where the true laws of physics and the rules of NASCAR apply; no racing off the track. Players will race and drift with realistic high-performance customizable cars, and the better racecar will win by passing the finish line first. Arcade racing has the wackier, chaotic, explosive, no-holds-barred racing mechanics, and can be played on an arcade machine, or a  personal home console.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Dark Souls

RPGs: Now, I will move on to explain an infamous genre existent…the RPG, also known as a role playing game. This genre should be approached with caution, as casual players may be hooked instantly due to porportions of action, and epic adventure. Players can create a character by use of pure imagination, and when satisfied with beheld creation, can set forth and explore a vast virtual world, and complete quests, tasks, and journeys which can “level up” their character, making that character stronger depending on your gameplay. RPGs like Skyrim, Final Fantasy, World of Warcraft, and Diablo III are known to break the 4^thwall of gaming perspective, allowing the player to believe that he/she has become part of its world, because immersion is the purpose of the RPG genre. Because this game has such an alluring, attracting, and addictive concept, playing it may take up alot of your time from other fun things that have lost your attention!

Madden 2012

SPORTS: Moving on to discuss the sports genre. What this genre consists of are the sports existing today like Football, Boxing, MMA, Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, and even Olympic sports available to play. For example, Madden 2013 (Football) will have online players selecting their favorite teams and have the chance to compete head-to-head in a game; and the official rules of the game in reality still apply in the virtual reality of sports games. This aspect of competition can also apply other sports titles, and may attract athletic non-gamers, since sporty competition is also a component in this genre they will certainly recognize.

PUZZLE/RTS: This genre will have gamers use sly, cunning, creative use of strategy in solving puzzles weather the game involves board-classics like scrabble, monopoly, etc. RTS (real time strategy) will have the same aspect of creative puzzle solving, except this genre consists of military base defense. For example, the player is in control of a defense base. The player is in the middle of adding turrets and tanks to his military base, when all of a sudden, an enemy military is preparing to launch missiles on his territory….so what does the player do? Use a naval strategy? Send troops to attack  that enemy base? The list goes on… but the point of this genre is to think creatively, and find ways around certain situations which involve cunning military strategy.



Street Fighter IV (top) Mortal Kombat (bottom)

FIGHTING: Fictional fighting games have been around since 1976, and ever since have been revolutionized to emphasize violence and dexterity. Although not every fighting game is aimed to the mature individual, there are fighting games which can be enjoyed without the use of blood of gore. Take Street Fighter IV for example, known for its arcade, bloodless, fast paced fun. For the more mature players looking for action, and violence, they would play Mortal Kombat, infamous for its bloody, violent, and gory concept. This game has its roots dating back to the 1990’s, and is probably the reason why it has become law for the cashier to check for ID to verify age to purchase this game; meant for the mature players. The goal in an ordinary fighting game is the traditional competition between two players choosing a character, then attempt to dominate by draining the opponent’s health gauge to zero through hand-to-hand-combat. The first player to win two rounds out of 3 wins the match. However, when this happens in a brutal, bloodthirsty game like Mortal Kombat, a “FINISH HIM!” prompt will appear, then the winner will have the choice to input a special control to deliver the deadly, fatal strike officially ending the fight.

 



Have a blast!

So, I’ve discussed popular video game genres that are currently having society’s young generation immersed with innovative entertainment, with stunning visuals as they seem to look more realistic every day with the innovative technology available. So haters, newcomers, and non-gamers, if you are still curious about today’s video games, head down to a buddy’s house, pick up a controller, and simply sit back, enjoy the game, and most important of all, have fun.

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